MacDonald needs to create murmurs on our streets
Longtime councillor Bill MacDonald needs to create a stir. More precisely a murmur on the streets of Cobourg this year. And, he can turned to Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal for inspiration.
[murmur] is an archival audio project that collects and curates tories set in specific locations by the people living there. At each location, a [murmur] sign with a telephone number and location code marks where the stories are available. By using a mobile phone, users can listen to the story while experiencing being there. In some cases, the listener can walk around, following a certain path through a place, while others allow a person to wander. The locations are marked by a big green ear on a utility pole with the phone number on it and location code.
The project, which was initially developed with the assistance of the Canadian Film Centre, launched in Toronto's Kensington Market in 2003, with similar projects in Vancouver's Chinatown and St. Laurent Boulevard in Montreal. It is now available in the Annex and The Drake Hotel as part of Toronto's Culture Capital program.
This is an incredible use of technology married with culture. For a place like Cobourg (or any of the historic towns in Northumberland), it is an amazing idea. Rather than having to organize walking tours, one is available at the push of a few buttons. Not only does it highlight the amazing architecture and history of our town, but the local stories being told by people would make it an archive of vital information that can be stored for future generations. Tourists would love it for the ease of use. The town may also choose to have a few extra cell phone to be used for a nominal fee for those who do not have the technology.
MacDonald needs to be more than a voice around a table and a town representative at cultural events. Cobourg is brimming with culture, but has no cultural master plan to perserve its history or maintain the existing resource, many who are left to fend for themselves. Little if any money is given to cultural organizations. It is often left up to them to raise enough money to survive. Municipal governments have a huge role to play in coordinating cultural activity. This kind of project is a natural.
[murmur] is an archival audio project that collects and curates tories set in specific locations by the people living there. At each location, a [murmur] sign with a telephone number and location code marks where the stories are available. By using a mobile phone, users can listen to the story while experiencing being there. In some cases, the listener can walk around, following a certain path through a place, while others allow a person to wander. The locations are marked by a big green ear on a utility pole with the phone number on it and location code.
The project, which was initially developed with the assistance of the Canadian Film Centre, launched in Toronto's Kensington Market in 2003, with similar projects in Vancouver's Chinatown and St. Laurent Boulevard in Montreal. It is now available in the Annex and The Drake Hotel as part of Toronto's Culture Capital program.
This is an incredible use of technology married with culture. For a place like Cobourg (or any of the historic towns in Northumberland), it is an amazing idea. Rather than having to organize walking tours, one is available at the push of a few buttons. Not only does it highlight the amazing architecture and history of our town, but the local stories being told by people would make it an archive of vital information that can be stored for future generations. Tourists would love it for the ease of use. The town may also choose to have a few extra cell phone to be used for a nominal fee for those who do not have the technology.
MacDonald needs to be more than a voice around a table and a town representative at cultural events. Cobourg is brimming with culture, but has no cultural master plan to perserve its history or maintain the existing resource, many who are left to fend for themselves. Little if any money is given to cultural organizations. It is often left up to them to raise enough money to survive. Municipal governments have a huge role to play in coordinating cultural activity. This kind of project is a natural.
posted by Robert Washburn at
9:06 AM
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